Innovation Adoption Program Helping National Church Solutions
Later this year, National Church Solutions (NCS), a Chester-based company, will celebrate its 100th year of operations. With the help of TechConnect West Virginia’s Innovation Adoption Program (IAP), the company is laying the foundation for its next century of growth.
Working in partnership with the state’s nonprofit, R&D-capable institutions, the IAP can provide funding to support manufacturers’ new product development, product redesign, new tooling design and development, process improvements, and other innovation-based needs.
In the case of NCS, the company has a long history of designing and manufacturing offertory envelopes and other paper products for religious organizations across the country. The company continues to enjoy a solid market share in the industry. However, the company’s leadership realizes donors’ giving habits are changing and, consequently, religious organizations’ needs for printed collateral material are evolving. In early January, TechConnect West Virginia, NCS and the West Virginia University Industrial Extension-West Virginia Manufacturing Extension Partnership launched a collaborative project designed to help NCS review its current manufacturing processes along with how the company approaches new product development and redevelopment of its existing product line.
The immediate goals are to help NCS review and refine its internal tools and processes that drive new product development that meets customers’ evolving needs. The ultimate goals are to help NCS grow and create new manufacturing jobs in West Virginia.
“We’re excited about our Innovation Adoption Program project with NCS and WVU’s Industrial Extension’s Manufacturing Extension Partnership,” said Anne Barth, TechConnect West Virginia’s executive director. “NCS might be one of our state’s oldest companies but it can represent a new generation of innovation-based manufacturing in West Virginia. We’re looking forward to seeing this project help lay the ground for new opportunities and growth for one of our state’s manufacturers.”
For more information on the Innovation Adoption Program, visit TechConnect West Virignia’s Innovation Adoption Program information sheet or call IAP director John Golden on 304-545-6963